Clearly, Yuen Woo Ping is still one of the best in the business when it comes to adrenaline bone crunching fight scenes.

In 1861, Su Can (Vincent Zhao), an honorable Qing Imperial Court (清朝) general led a daring covert mission to rescue a feudal Prince. As a reward, the Prince offered promotion of a Lordship but in modesty, Su Can deferred it to his foster brother Yuan Lie (Andy On) instead. Su Can wanted to start a family with Yuan Lie’s sister, Yuan Ying (Zhou Xun), and to devote perfecting his martial arts.

Five years later, Su Can and Yuan Ying were happily married and lived a blissful life with their young son. There were two things that Sun Can held dearest to his heart, one was the aspiration to create an unparalleled martial art and the other was his beloved wife. On the day Sun Can had a grand opening of his martial art school; Yuan Lie arrived at Sun Can’s house seeking revenge for the death of his father that transpired years ago. Yuan Lie and his troops killed Su Can’s father, Su Wan-kun (Leung Ka-Yan), and massacred the house occupants. He had never forgiven Su Wan-kun for killing his biological father. Apparently acting out of sympathy, Su Wan-kun adopted Yuan Lie and Yuan Ying into his household.Continue reading “True Legend”

Set during the late Ming Dynasty (明朝), the Imperial Court had a group of elite Imperial Guards called the Jinyi Wei (錦衣衛 literally: Brocade-clad Guards). They are the government‘s secret enforcer and had the authority to persecute anyone deemed as the enemy of the Empire. They devoted their lives and lethal prowess to ensure peace and stability to the Emperor only. Jinyi Wei conducted their tasks or missions with deadly precision. Members of the Jinyi Wei were highly skilled warriors. They were consisted of abducted street orphans and trained in clandestine combat since childhood.

The commander of the Jinyi Wei, QingLong (Donnie Yen), was the most feared and had a superb martial art skill. He carried a titular exquisite weapon bestowed by the Emperor called the 14 Blades. This weapon was actually a wooden box roughly the size of a guitar case that housed 14 different steel blades. The first 8 blades were imprinted with the symbols of Sky, Earth, Rank, Law, Wisdom, Trust, Benevolence, and Bravery. These 8 blades were used for interrogation. The remainder 6 blades were used for execution. The first blade was designed to execute those who disobeyed the Imperial Court and the Emperor. The second blade was intended to kill those who interfered with the Imperial administration. The third blade was for corrupt Court officials who abused their positions. The fourth blade was designed for those who committed treason. The fifth blade was for Jinyi Wei guard who committed wrongdoing to his Jinyi Wei brothers. And the last one was called the Golden Sword. It was intended to kill oneself when the mission had failed.Continue reading “14 Blades”

The story of Hua Mulan or The Ballad of Mulan took place during the Northern Dynasty (北朝) period (386-535 CE) in the Kingdom of Wei (Cao Wei, 曹魏). Hua Mulan (Zhao Wei) and her father, Hua Hu (Yu Rongguang), depended on each other for everyday living. Her admiration for her father, a retired local war hero, made her to furtively emulate his martial art skills and studied Sun Tzu’s (孙子) manuals on the tactical deployment of troops.

When Hua Mulan came of age, the dynasty was under constant threat by the Mongol hordes in the north, specifically the Rouran (柔然)tribes who were fixating the fertile plains of Central China as a place for fulltime settlement. The Wei Emperor (Sun Zhou) conscripted a decree for all able-bodied men in the Northern Province to defend their homeland against the barbarian Rouran hordes. As the Hua family was without a male heir, Hua Mulan’s father insisted to enlist again to serve his country.Continue reading “Mulan”

According to Filmko Pictures, Mandarin Films and Beijing Wenhua Dongrun, filming of The Monkey King will begin sometimes in November of this year for February, 2012 release. It’s confirmed that the US$ 45 millions budget will star Donnie Yen as the Monkey King. And casting for Buffalo Demon King, Princess Iron Fan, Jade Emperor, Ancient Ancestor Bodhi, Nezha and Erlang Shen will be released later. Filmko Pictures plans to shoot the fantasy adaptation in 3D IMAX with Weta Digital of New Zealand already began surveying for Heavenly Palace, Sea Dragon Palace, and Fire Mountain fantasy scene location.

Filmko Pictures’ CEO Alex Wong announced that Donnie Yen would be playing the eponymous character Sun Wu Kong in The Monkey King. Chow Yun Fat and Louis Koo are also cast for the movie but their roles haven’t been announced. The Water Curtain Cave and Mountain of Fruits & Flowers will be shot on location in Zhang Jia Jie, Hunan Province.

Unable to see through your wandering spirit,
Unfathomable, the color of your pupils
A passing wind, a waking dream
Like life, love remains undefined
What has captured your heart?

The outline of your body disappears into the night
I watch the cherry blossoms, waiting to see their blooms
I look at you, embracing me, your eyes lonelier than the moonlight
And I let you seek happiness in someone else’s arms
Loving you, unreachable like a heartbeat
Painting you, I cannot paint your skeleton
Remembering your expression, my reason to persist in waiting for you
You are mine, a song that I will never finish singing

The outline of your body disappears into the night
I watch the cherry blossoms, waiting to see their blooms
I look at you, embracing me, your eyes lonelier than the moonlight
And I let you seek happiness in someone else’s arms
Loving you, unreachable like a heartbeat
Painting you, I cannot paint your skeleton
Remembering your expression, my reason to persist in waiting for you
My heart, only willing to be broken for you

The production of a new wuxia genre comedy titled Legend of the Blademaster directed by Yuan Hong Bing began this month. The movie leading role is Asthon Chen as incompetent swordsman who boasts his way around town by pretending to be the infamous Beggar Su. Other notable cast members include He Jie, Law Kar Ying, Leung Kar-Yan, and Gao Jun.

Asthon Chen and He Jie

Initial plot of Legend of the Blademaster is center around a village which often troubled by a group of horseback bandits. The villagers send the teacher Fan Jian (Law Kar Ying) to the city to hire swordsmen to protect them. But unfortunately, due to the insufficient funds, Fan Jian fails to hire any competent swordsman. By twist of fate, he runs into a braggart Beggar Su and becomes Fan Jian’s savior along with two other unreliable blademasters.

The movie is scheduled to be released sometimes in October of this year.

Just Another Pandora’s Box is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. The hit comedy directed by Jeffrey Lau made over US $ 14 million at the box office in China. A thoroughly parody on Red Cliff featuring an impressive cast comprising Ronald Cheng, Sun Li, Gigi Leung, Guo De Gang, Eric Tsang, Athena Chu, Yuen Biao, Fan Siu Wong, Wu Jing, Xing Yu, Gillian Chung, Yuen Cheung Yan, Corey Yuen, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Bruce Liang, and many more. It is a spiritual successor to Jeffery Lau’s two part 1994 movie A Chinese Odyssey that took place in the same world.

The Legend of Condor Heroes (simplified Chinese: 射雕英雄传; traditional Chinese: 射鵰英雄傳; Mandarin Pinyin: shè diāo yīng xióng zhuàn; Jyutping: se6 diu1 jing1 hung4 zyun6; literally “Story of the Eagle-shooting Hero”) is one of the most acclaimed Wuxia novels by Jin Yong or Louis Cha. It was first serialized in 1957 in Hong Kong Commercial Daily. This is the first part of the Condor Trilogy.

The novel took place in the Song Dynasty during the planning of the Jin invasion of Northern China. The story began with the friendship of two sworn brothers, Yang TieXin and Guo XiaoTian who lived in a village nearby the capital city. Their bonding was so strong that they pledged to each others that if their unborn children were the same sex, the children will either be sworn brothers or sisters. On the other hand, if the unborn children were opposite sexes, the children will be a couple. However, calamity befallen upon the family of Yang TieXin and GuoXiaoTian before their children were born. The story then focused on the trials and tribulations of both of their sons following the death of Guo XiaoTian and the disappearance of Yang TieXin. Guo XiaoTian’s son, Guo Jing, grew up in Mongolia under the care of Genghis Khan; meanwhile Yang TieXin’s son, Yang Kang, grew up in Jin as the foster son of Prince Wanyan HongLie.

The manners of the children were raised caused their behaviors to be total opposite of each others. Guo Jing was honest, loyal, righteous and somewhat obtuse. Yang Kang on the other hand was clever, cunning, and treacherous. Their path eventually crossed in addition with meeting their respective lovers. Huang Rong was the love of Guo Jing while Mu NianCi was the love of Yang Kang. The story main plot followed the adventures of Guo Jing and Huang Rong and their encounters with the Five Greats. Meanwhile, Yang Kang and his foster father planned to invade and conquer Song Dynasty. Yang Kang’s refusal to acknowledge his ethnicity was utterly desired for wealth, fame, and glory. Eventually, Yang Kang’s treachery was unveiled through encounters with Guo Jing and Huang Rong.

Yang Kang met his retributive end once all his deeds were uncovered. Weakened by the death of his foster son, Wanyan HongLie and the Jin were destroyed by the Mongolians who were assisted by Guo Jing. However, the Mongolians under Genghis Khan’s discretion had the ambition to conquer Song Dynasty as well. Unwilling to assist the Mongolians to invade his native homeland, Guo Jing left Mongolia and headed back to Song. He helped his countrymen in defending against the Mongolians.